Stockholm university
Centre for Medieval Studies

About the centre

The Centre for Medieval Studies aims to create a scientific environment for the exchange of knowledge and discussions of methods and theories, and to an extent that it is attractive for external researchers to be involved in the centre.

The activities of the centre include symposia, seminars and research courses led by researchers from all of Scandinavia and further afield. Activities are constantly developed through targeted projects implemented by separate researchers or groups of researchers in cooperation. The centre regularly collaborates with several institutions in Sweden and abroad to develop new courses on master and PhD level.

Image of the Sculpture St George and the dragon in Storkyrkan.
Image: Gösta Knochenhauer, Mostphotos

The centre brings together researchers of the Middle Ages working within many different disciplines and also institutions from outside of the university: archaeology, economic history, philosophy, history, art history, human geography, quaternary science, literature, musicology, physical geography, numismatics, history of religions, theatre studies, and a number of languages such as French, Greek, Italian, Latin, Scandinavian languages and German. The focus of research is Europe and the relationship of Sweden/Scandinavia to Europe, but connections with other cultural areas are also considered.  
The researchers and PhD students are also particularly active nationally and internationally within research policy institutions, editorial committees, research exchanges and actively participate in the development of joint research projects.
Since its founding in 2008, the centre has received economic support from Marcus Wallenberg Foundation for International Scientific Collaboration, Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation, Torsten Söderberg Foundation, Ragnar Söderberg Foundation, The Swedish Research Council, Bank of Sweden Tercentenary Foundation, Åke Winberg Foundation and the faculty of humanities at Stockholm University.

Medieval research: then, now and ahead

The interdisciplinary medieval research in Stockholm started during the 1960s when seminars were held with participants from the disciplines of archaeology, history, art history and human geography At the beginning of the 1970s representatives from different language subjects primarily Scandinavian languages and Latin, joined. At this early stage, close cooperation with the capitals learned institution was fostered. There had been an extensive accumulation of knowledge pertinent to the study of the Middle Ages which had taken place at the national archive (Diplomatarium Suecanum, Medieval Sweden DMS, Medieval Book Fragments MPO), The Swedish National Heritage Board (the Ancient Monument Inventory, the Churches of Sweden, The Medieval Town) National Library of Sweden (the Manuscript Department) and The Swedish Mapping, Cadastral and Land Registration Authority.

The cooperation was formalised with the formation of the centre in 2008. Researchers work with diverse subjects within the medieval field. For example, topics include the vocabulary of the old languages, theories of the objectives and means of politics, use of images and artefacts, the colloquial language of 15th century Stockholm, the view of literary fiction, liturgical poetry, translation between different languages, theories of scientific aims, ideological messages of chronicles, the relationship between the spoken and written word, monastic discipline, satire critical of religion, patronage of art, functions of buildings, the composition of manuscripts and resources of the cultural landscape and their use.

The centre of Medieval studies is in a unique position for further development. Stockholm University is the largest in Scandinavia and the centre is the largest of its kind in Scandinavia, measured in the number of researchers and subjects. During the years it has developed frequent and continuous collaborations with a wide range of different universities. For international medieval research, Sweden and Scandinavia is of particular interest because of their geographical position and late Christianising can constitute an important test case in comparative discussions of centre and periphery in the development of culture.

 

Organisation and Board

The Centre for medieval studies’ board determines the activities and direction of the centre. The board consists of seven members including the chairman. The director of the centre, with the help of the secretary and administrator, manages the day-to-day operations.

Centre Director:
Kurt Villads Jensen
Secretary:
Fraser Miller


Board:
Chairman Henrik Lagerlund, Department of Philosophy.
Erika Kihlman, Department of Romance studies and Classics.
Claes Gejrot, Riksarkivet.
Pia Bengtsson Melin, The Swedish History Museum.
Nanouschka Myrberg Burström, Department of Archaeology and Classical Studies.
Carin Franzén, Department of Culture and Aesthetics.
Emma Maltin,  Department of Archaeology and Classical Studies.

Minutes from board meetings and activity reports (in Swedish) can be found under the heading "styrdokument" here.

 

 

The medieval council

The centre organises the medieval council two times annually. The purpose of the council is to be a recurring forum for exchange of knowledge and information between different institutions and authorities working with medieval research in the Stockholm area.

Storkyrkan, Gamla stan.
Storkyrkan, Gamla stan. Image by Linus Mimietz via Unsplash.

Minutes from council meetings (in Swedish) can be found under the heading "styrdokument" here

 

The medieval seminar

A meeting of doctors at the university of Paris. From the "Chants royaux" manuscript, Bibliothèque
A meeting of doctors at the university of Paris. From the "Chants royaux" manuscript. Gallica.bnf.fr, Bibliothèque nationale de France.

The Centre for medieval studies organises the interdisciplinary medieval seminar at the Department of History. The seminar offers a platform for cooperation between different disciplines and gives opportunities for scholars to present new publications, projects and ongoing research. Presentations are held in Swedish or English depending on the subject and speaker. The seminars are open to the public and no sign-up is needed. 

Seminars are held on Mondays 15.00-17.00. Until further notice seminars are held via zoom as well as in room D900. The latest information can be found on our Facebook page and through our email-list. Sign up to the list by emailing sekreterare@medeltid.su.se.


Find more information about upcoming seminars in our Calendar

 

Research

The field of medieval studies is broad, both in terms of subjects and themes. Medieval studies are conducted within more than 15 subjects both as doctoral- and postdoctoral projects as well as projects by senior researchers. Currently, there are close to 20 doctoral students with medieval subjects and even more researchers. The themes are broad: Linguistic studies regarding medieval translation practice, syntax, lexicography, diplomatics, palaeography, editorial philology; literary and philosophical examinations of medieval fiction theory, prose and poetry, logic, theology and political thought; studies of medieval crafts, art theory and architecture, studies of the medieval landscape, its organisation and the utilisation of material resources.

Researchers

Researchers

Roger Andersson, Department of Swedish Language and Multilingualism
Anders Bengtsson, Department of Romance Studies and Classics, Italian
Johan Berg, Department of Human Geography
Nanouschka Myrberg Burström, Department of Archaeology and Classical Studies
Michele Colombo, Department of Romance Studies and Classics, Italian
Bo Eriksson, Department of History
Claes Gejrot, National Archives
Kurt Villads Jensen, Department of History
Gwendolyne Knight Keimpema, Department of History
Erika Kihlman, Department of Romance Studies and Classics, Latin
Magnus Källström, Swedish National Heritage Board
Henrik Lagerlund, Department of Philosophy
Anthony John Lappin, Department of Romance Studies and Classics, Spanish
Gabriela Bjarne Larsson, Department of History
Fredrik Charpentier Ljungqvist, Department of History
Pia Bengtsson Melin, The Swedish History Museum
Inka Moilanen, Department of History
Elisabeth Wåghäll Nivre, Department of Slavic and Baltic Studies Finnish Dutch and German
Margaretha Nordquist, Department of History
Jonatan Pettersson, Department of Swedish Language and Multilingualism
Tina Rodhe, Medeltidsmuseet
Martin Neuding Skoog, Försvarshögskolan
Mia Ahlbäck Åkestam, Department of Culture and Aesthetics
Janken Myrdal, Department of Economic History and International Relations
Olof Holm, Riksdagsbiblioteket

Emeriti

Anders Andrén, Department of Archaeology and Classical Studies
Ann-Catherine Bonnier, Department of Culture and Aesthetics
Olle Ferm, Department of History
Bo Franzén, Department of Economic History and International Relations
Inger Larsson, Department of Swedish Language and Multilingualism
Anders Cullhed, Department of Culture and Aesthetics

Guest Researchers

Serpil Çılğın, Kocaeli University, 2024–2025
Alberto Robles Delgado, University of Alicante, 2024
Gustav Zamore, Cambridge, 2018–2021
Benjamin Weber, Toulouse, 2019–2020
Felicitas Schmieder, FernUni Hagen, 2018–2019
Nora Berend, Cambridge University, 2018–2019
Christian Etheridge, Copenhagen University, 2016

Guest PhD:s

Piia Sandra Palm, Tallin University, January–March 2025.
Piotr Kołodziejczak, Nicholas Copernicus University in Toruń, November 2021.
Sanna Supponen, Helsingfors, October 2019.
Tobias Boestad, Université Paris-Sorbonne (Paris IV), 2018

Doctoral students

Wilhelm Ljungar, Department of History
Emma Maltin, Institutionen för arkeologi och antikens kultur
Rolf Faricius Warming, Department of Archaeology and Classical Studies
Anton Larsson, Department of Archaeology and Classical Studies
Tori Falck, Department of Archaeology and Classical Studies
Jessica Fröberg, Department of Culture and Aesthetics
Karin Tetteris, Department of Culture and Aesthetics
Kim Bergqvist, Department of History
Karl Lysén, Department of History
Fraser Miller, Department of History
Thomas Neijman, Department of History
Per Gunnar Sidén, Department of History
Guido Rey Alt, Department of Philosophy

Previous PhD:s and dissertation titles

Anna Andréasson Sjögren (2025), Från kål till Paradis: Medeltidens trädgårdar inom dagens Sverige

Anton Larsson (2023), Landslide Archaeology: Past hazards and disasters in the Göta River Valley and beyond

Olov Lund (2022), Nätverksstaten: statsbildningsprocesser och rumsliga praktiker i senmedeltidens Sverige ca 1440–1520

Jonas Thungren Lindbärg (2021), Between Old and New Rome. Armenian and Bulgarian Contacts with the Papacy around 1204

Tobias Boestad (Sorbonne/Stockholm) (2020), Pour le profit du commun marchand'. La genèse de la Hanse (XIIe siècle-milieu du XIVe siècle)

Linda Qviström (2019), Rum utan utsikt: Fönster och ljus i medeltida byggnader

Gwendolyne Knight (2019), Broken Order: Shapeshifting as Social Metaphor in Early Medieval England and Ireland

Mari Eyice (2019), An Emotional Landscape of Devotion Religious Experience in Reformation-period Sweden

Martin Neuding Skoog (2018), I rikets tjänst: Krig, stat och samhälle i Sverige 1450-1550

Eva-Marie Letzter (2018), Med öga för publiken: Moralisk fostran genom heliga Birgittas och de svenska predikanternas exempelberättelser, cirka 1340-1500

Florent Audy (2018), Coin-pendants in Viking Age Scandinavia

Theresia Pettersson (2017), Stockholms stads tänkeböcker: Funktionell texthistoria 1476-1626

Tommy Kuusela (2017), "Hallen var lyst i helig frid": Krig och fred mellan gudar och jättar i en fornnordisk hallmiljö

Linn Eikje Ramberg (2017), Mynt er hva mynt gjør: En analyse av norske mynter fra 1100-tallet: produksjon, sirkulasjon og bruk

Marte Spangen (2016), Circling Concepts: A Critical Archaeological Analysis of the Notion of Stone Circles as Sami Offering Sites

Cecilia Ljung (2016), Under runristad häll: Tidigkristna gravmonument i 1000-talets Sverige

Johnny Karlsson (2016), Spill. Om djur, hantverk och nätverk i Mälarområdet under vikingatid och medeltid

Robin Wahlsten Böckerman (2016), The Metamorphoses of Education: Ovid in the Twelfth-Century Schoolroom

Margaretha Nordquist (2015), A Struggle for the Realm: Late-medieval Swedish rhyme chronicles as ideological expressions

Fredrik Charpentier Ljungqvist (2014), Kungamakten och lagen: En jämförelse mellan Danmark, Norge och Sverige under högmedeltiden

Lundström, Kerstin (2013) Polemik in den Schriften Melchior Hoffmans: Inszenierungen rhetorischer Streitkultur in der Reformationszeit

Holm, Olof (2012), Självägarområdenas egenart: Jämtland och andra områden i Skandinavien med småskaligt jordägande 900–1500

Lodén, Sofia (2012), Le chevalier courtois à la rencontre de la Suède médiévale: Du Chevalier au lion à Herr Ivan

Paulin, Lotta (2012), Den didaktiska fiktionen. Konstruktion av förebilder ur ett barn- och ungdomslitterärt perspektiv 1400–1750

Elin Andersson (2011), Responsiones Vadstenenses: Perspectives on the Birgittine Rule in Two Texts from Vadstena and Syon Abbey. A Critical Edition with Translation and Introduction

Raeder, Johanna Andersson (2011), Hellre hustru än änka. Äktenskapets ekonomiska betydelse för frälsekvinnor i senmedeltidens Sverige

Wojtek Jezierski (2010), Total St Gall: Medieval Monastery as a Disciplinary Institution

Mia Åkestam (2010) Bebådelsebilder: Om bildbruk under medeltiden

Laurent Brun (2010) Le Miroir historial de Jean de Vignay. Édition critique du livre I (prologue) et du livre 5 (Histoire d’Alexandre le grand)

Christine Ekholst (2009), För varje brottsling ett straff: Föreställningar om kön i de svenska medeltidslagarna

Jonsson, Kristina (2009), Practices for the Living and the Dead. Medieval and Post-Reformation Burials in Scandinavia

Retsö, Dag (2009) Länsförvaltningen i Sverige 1434–1520  

Pettersson, Jonatan (2009) Fri översättning i  det medeltida Västnorden

Djärv, Ulrika (2009) Fornsvenskans lexikala kodifiering i Söderwalls medeltidsordbok

Publications

A compilation of publications by researchers connected to the Center for Medieval Studies can be found via DiVA.

 

Medieval Studies at SU

The Centre for Medieval studies at Stockholm University is a research centre and does not arrange courses independently. However, the centre co-operates with several departments at the university and works for more courses with medieval themes. On the Swedish site, we have compiled lists with medieval courses at different departments at the University. There you can also find more information about the Master program in medieval studies which is held in swedish. 

Find more information (in swedish) under the heading "Studera medeltiden vid SU" here: Om centrat

Find medieval courses at Stockholm University by searching the course catalouge here: Find courses and programmes

 

Contact

Centre Director
Kurt Villads Jensen

Professor

kurt.villads.jensen@historia.su.se
  • Visiting address

  • Room D998

  • Universitetsvägen 10 D, Level 9

Secretary
Fraser Miller
fraser.miller@historia.su.se
  • Visiting address

  • Universitetsvägen 10 D, Level 9

Administrator
Emma Holmberg
emma.holmberg@historia.su.se
  • Visiting address

  • D974

  • Universitetsvägen 10 D, Level 9

Last updated: April 8, 2025

Source: Department of History

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